Aeroplane.



AEROPLANE.

AFPLICATION FILED AUG.13. 1912. RENEWED DEC. 10,1913.

Patented Ju1y4, 1916.

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AEROPLANE. APPLl-CATION FILED AUGJS, |912. RENEWED DEC. l0. 1913.

Patented Jilly 4, 1916. I

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TTOHPJEKS A. H. MORRIS.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION F1120 Aue.1a,1912. RENEWED DEC. 10.1913.

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i ira 'ALBERT H. Mouais, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

EROPLANE.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July et, lit.

Appication led August 13, 1912, Serial-No. 714,788. Renewed Becember 10, 1913. Serial No. 805,864.

T o all whom imag concern Be it known that I, ALBERT' H. Mouais, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan of the city of New York, county of New York, State of New York, have invented certain' new and useful Improvements in Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof.

This invention relates-to aeroplanes and has for one of its objectsto increase the stability of suoli machines by'n ounting a plurality of planes symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal and transverse axes thereof so that equal effective sustaining efforts aie secured with respect to said axes.

VAnother `object is to mount the planes with respect to each other so that the rear planes will .encounter air undisturbed by any of the forward planes without, however, arranging the same in gradient series from front to rear.

Still another object is to provide planes of such a shape that their cutting edges and forward portions will provide the greatest lifting power so that the rear portions may be flexed without varying appreciably the total sustaining effort.- In the present in- ',vention the forward portions of the planes are made relatively rigid, the flexibility thereof increasing gradually toward the rear to permit warping by warping Wires or by wind resistance when traveling, and either separately to control the machine when in flight or sinniltaneously to stop the saine at the desired landing place.. The stability of the aeroplane may be further controlled by providingmeans for moving the operators seat forward or aft to change immediately the center of gravity of the machine with respect to the longitudinal aXis thereof.

A further object is to construct the parts so that a minimum space willfbe occupied when the same are crated for transit. Previous aeroplanes have been open to objection in this respect by reason of the use of relatively long and bulky planes. The present invention contemplates the provision of a series of sustaining planes consisting of wing-like members arranged in pairs on either side of the longitudinal axis. These wings may be removed and packed separately thus eliminating the objection of hulk. In addition it has been found that the relatively narrow `wings when used in the manner above referred to tend to lessen the leve age or turning moment with respect to the axes of the machine and put the center of gravity relatively lower than in ordinary constructions thus lessening the danger from tilting or tipping.

The invention will be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure l is a view in side elevation of an aeroplane embodying the invention, one of the frame members being broken away to show the motor and the operators seat. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same. Fig. 3 is a view taken on the plane indicated by the line 33 of Fig. l and looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the operators seat showing a rack and pinion for moving the same. Fig. 5 is a view of the same in vertical section. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view in perspective of -a wing made in accordance with the invention. Fig. 7 is a front view of a series of detached pairs of wings shown successively from left to right as arranged from front to rear of the aeroplane.

In the construction of the aeroplane, the body, frame members, planes and other constituent parts, save the motor and similar elements, are made preferably of vulcanized liber. commercially known as vulcanite,

which has been found to combine the qualities of lightness, toughness, rigidity and slight resiliency to the degree desirable in structures of this kind.

The body of the aeroplane, as here shown, is similar in general to that of a well designed boat in order to reduce to a minimum the resistance offered to the air, comprising a tapered bottom a. and substantially vertical sul walls o. a `which meet in a line at their forward edges to form a prow 1.2. The

outer edges of the bottom may be of such a i shape as to' give the side walls a diverging form rearwardly to the mid-section of the body and a slightly converging form from `thence rearwardly for reasons which will be understood. The body' is mounted on .a chassis b of any approved form which has secured thereto by relatively resilient, supports 1)', suitable wheels Z arranged in such numbers and in such positions as willserve best to insure an easy and safe landing. Substantially niid-way of the body of the machine and symmetrically disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis thereof, are

ator.

55 hereinafter.

the driving motors c, two being herein illustrated. Each of the motors c drives a propeller d through a shaft c which is operatively connected to the motor and to the pro- 5 peller through chains c2 and c3 respectively.

, The shafts of the propellers CZ are mounted adjacent the ends of a transverse support e carried by the walls a. This support e may have a vertical stancliion e secured thereto l1o at a point on the longitudinal axis of the machine and in this s'tanchion may be journaled a rudder c2 controlled through flexible connections 4c3 attached operatively to a handwheel e4 disposed within reach of the oper# The vertical rudder, as will be understood, permits the control of the direction of the machine ina horizontal plane, while the vertical control thereof is effected principally through a lifting plane f of usual con- 'struction mounted at the forward end of the body. This elevating plane f is controlled through other flexible connections f which are secured operatively to a second handwheel f2 also within reach of the operator.

The features of construction thus far described are all old in the art and the inven- 'tion is not to be limited to the forms herein shown.

Referring now to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the stability of the machine is sought to be obtained by the arrangement of a number of pairs of wings disposed symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal and transverse axes thereof so that an equal sustaining effort is secui'ed in each one of the four quadrants formed by the intersection of said axes- In the present embodiment only three sets of pairs of wings and two series thereof are shownalthough it is obvious that any 40 number of sets and any number of series may be provided so long as the effect above described is procured. The forward set of planes comprises wings h arranged in pairs v on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the aeroplane and mounted on suitable frame members w3 secured to transverse bars a4 which are carried by the walls a of the body. As shown in Fig. G these wings are composed of layers 71. of vulcanite, the number of layers gradually decreasing from front to rear so that while the forward edge is rigid, the rearward edge is comparatively flexible and lends itself to warping either by wind or by warping wires as will appear' The forward edge of each wing it as well as each of the other wings to be later described, is concave with respect te tlielongitudinal axis so that an air pocket k2 is formed whereby the greatest lifting power is obtained at this portion ofithe wing.

This is important as it lwill be understood that through this construction the rearward portion-of the wing may be warped without diminishing appreciably the sustaining effort thereof.. While Fig. 6 has been de-y VVAs shown most clearly in Fig. 7 two wings are mounted on acommon support a in angulai' relation transversely vto forni I a sustaining plane. The rearward slope of each wing is the same, and hence the angle of incidence of the air thereon is the same, not only as regards each pair of wings but as regards the wings in all of the pairs. This is not true with respect to the angularity of the wings ofl each successive set of pairs rwith respectto each other, however, a'sappears fi'om Fig. 7. The angle between the wings h3 of the second setof pairs is less than that between the wings L and the y angle between thewings l1.4 of the rearinost set of pairs is even less, so that the `wings of each set of pairs encounter air undisturbed by those in front. vTt is to be noted that this effect is here accomplished too, without disposing the successive sets of pairs of wings in gradient series from front to rear. As before mentioned5it may be found desirable to give to the wings ofeach successive set of pairs a greater transverseconcavity than that given those infront and although such a construction is actually shown` in the accompanying drawings, it is not anessential 4feature of this invention and need not be employed.

To the rearward portion of each wing h,

11,3 and r is attached a warping wire h5 which extends to a suitable operating mechanisin placed within control of the driver whereby any one wing may be warped or whereby all of thev wings may be warped simultaneously. `In flight, it will be found necessary to warp only a few of the wings to maintain the stability of the machine, while in. landing all of the wings may be' drawn downwardly to present great resistance to the air and so bring the aeroplane to the ground in a manner lto be compared with the aligliting of a bird. It is to be noted particularly that .whereas in previous constructions hinged planes have been employed to secure sensitivecontrol of the machine, the integral wing shown in lFig. 6 perlmits any desired degree of warping of its rearward portion and yet possesses the necessary lifting qualities insured by the relative rigidity of its forward portion.

A further feature of the invention resides inthe means for shifting -l'on'gitudinally the center of gravity of the aeroplaney quickly by movement of the operators seat and the operator. Directly-behind the motors 0 and the steering mechanism f2 and e, is disposed an elevated platform c supported verti# cal members lc, and on whichfis mounted` v niovably the operators seat Z Which has a' depending flange Z at one side thereof to support a shaft Z2.` On one end of this shaft., Z2v is a hand wheel Z3 disposed within 'easy reach of they operator and on the other. end

-V is attached a pinion .Z4 adapted to 'engage l,operatively a rack Z5 formed onthe under ,side of the' latform f-a-ndrtomove the seat when the w eel is rotated'. In this vmanner the `loperator has an auxiliary andrertain mea-ns -ofvcontrolling the, stability of the Amachine 'in a. vertical plane which means is independent of the. mechanism. before described.

Modifications: other. than, :these noted inthe body. ofthe specification will suggest themselves to thosel skilled in the art but all such modifications are to be consideredy withinthe scope of this invention: provided the combination of partsor their equivalent',

What I claim is hereinafter. claimed, are employed.-

l'1. an aeroplane, seriesbfv sustaining 'pla'n'es disposedvsymmetrically on opposite .sides`A- of the-r longitudinal -axisy tio,V maintainvthe lateral stability thereof, said planes com,.-

prising wings mounted angularly leach toeach',.th e angularity of eachfsuccessive' pair of wings dii'erin'gfrom .front 'to rear f the aernplane.-l

2,111'v v an aeroplane, series of v sustaining :Qifplanes disposed symmetrically on y opposite sides of the longitudinal a-Xis to maintainofthe'aeroplanen A i 3. vIn an aeroplane, sustaining Wings 'composedv of a series of layers of vulcanized v liber,l the number .of layersdecreasing from front vto rear of said wings, whereby the forvward portions are relatively rigid and the rearward portions relatively flexible.'

In an aeroplane, sustaining wings composed of a series of layers of vviilcaniaed fiberpthe number of layers decreasing from front to rear of said wings, whereby the forward portions are relativelyrigid and `.the rearward portions relatively flexible, the forward portions being concave with respect to their longitudinal axes.

" .5. In an aeroplane, sustaining Wings cpmi posed of a series of layers lof vulcanized fiber, the number of layers decreasin from front to rear of said Wings, Where y the forward portions are relatively rigid andthe rearward portions relatively flexible, and flexible connections secured to said rearward portions to permit the wings to be warped. 6; In an aeroplane, series of sustaining planes disposed symmetrically on opposite sides of the llongitudinal axis to maintain the lateral 'stabilitythereo said planes comprisingfwings mounted angularly each'to each, thedihedral angularity of each successive pair of wings,dii'er`1ng. 7. In an aeroplane, sustaining wings composed of a series of layers of suitable mate- I rial, the number of'flayers decreasing from 'fr'ontto rear ofesaid wings, whereby the for- .v-'ward portionsare relatively rigid and the rearward portions relatively flexible. y Y

- `8. In an -aeop-lane, seriesv of sustaining pla-nes comprising lwings mounted angularly eachl to each, the dihedral angularityv of each set of wings diiiering from front to reerof the. aeroplane, said planes being dis-` .posed'symmetr1oally onopposite sides of the' longitudinal axis, and a supporting frame to which eacli plane is secured, the supporting frames being symmetrically .Apoisitiqned with-respect to each other and to the longitudinal axis of the aeroplane and being disposed at points remote .from thel longitudinal axis.

yThis specification this l7th day of AuIgust D., 1912.` A BERT H. MORRIS. Signed in the presence of-l- E. M. TAYLOR, WQRTHINGTON'CAMPBELL.

vvGamen: otthn patent may. he obtained for ve cents each, byaddressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

y Wanhingtomlhc. "i

signed and witnessed 

